


first / last

by itscursorbby



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Flustered Goro for all your flustered Goro needs, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-22
Updated: 2020-02-22
Packaged: 2021-02-28 12:20:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22850053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itscursorbby/pseuds/itscursorbby
Summary: "Akira," he finally says one day, "are you, by any chance, flirting with me?""Only for the last month," comes the sarcastic reply. Akira's lips curl into that feline grin of his as he leans over the counter. "And you call yourself an ace detective."
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira
Comments: 1
Kudos: 161





	first / last

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for ShuAke Week 2019 but, as with the ShuKita fic I posted a little while ago, this is the only one I finished, so I never posted it.

As anything starting out will have, there's a series of firsts between Kurusu Akira and Akechi Goro. First deep conversation, first discussion of the Phantom Thieves, first encounter at the train station on the way to school, first visit to Leblanc.

They don't get to spend a lot of time together--Goro is a busy man, days filled with school, work, and media appearances--but the moments they share grow to be something he treasures, over time. It's not like he really expects anything to come of it, but there's no harm in indulging himself from time to time, so he squashes both the thought that he's being a nuisance and the hope that he's not. It's enough to just talk with him, right?

That is, until the first time he catches Akira looking at him that way. The first time he realizes he didn't even need to give his coffee order, because Akira had it memorized. The first time their hands brush against each other and they both pull away, eyes locked on each other.

"Akira," he finally says one day, "are you, by any chance, flirting with me?"

"Only for the last month," comes the sarcastic reply. Akira's lips curl into that feline grin of his as he leans over the counter. "And you call yourself an ace detective."

Goro's heart races-- _ He's so close-- _ but he maintains his composure. "I suppose I can't say anything back to that. You win this round."

"Do I get a reward for winning?" There's a dangerous look in his eyes.

"I said you won this round, not the game," Goro counters, smooth as ever. "But if you keep it up during my visit today I just might consider it. It sounds like you already have something in mind; what is it you're after, a date?"

Akira glances at the tables behind Goro--empty--and at the kitchen around him--also empty, Sakura-san being out on an errand. Aside from the cat, they're the only two in the building. It's like this a lot when Goro visits, isn't it? "Isn't this already a date?"

Goro's heart just about leaps into his throat. So much for that composure of his. He narrowly avoids choking on his coffee as he covers his mouth with his hand, as if that could hide the blush creeping across his face. "Th-That's--I can see how it could be interpreted that way, but--no, wait, first of all, it isn't a date if both parties involved don't agree that it is--!"

And Akira, the absolute bastard, grins even wider. Is embarrassing him really that funny?! "Well? Do you think it's a date, then?"

"I…" Akira won't take his eyes off him. It's hard to say this while meeting his gaze, but Goro can't back down from a challenge from him. "...wouldn't be opposed to calling it that."

"Is that a yes?" Akira presses, brow raised.

"You're cruel, Kurusu Akira… yes, it's a yes." Goro sighs. Despite himself, the embarrassment fades from his expression quickly as he says this; perhaps saying it outright is freeing in its own way. "Coffee and conversation, hm? Not a bad first date. Though, it'd be better to have you on the other side of the counter."

\---

Growing closer to people certainly isn't a bad thing; on the contrary, most would consider it good, even necessary. So surely all those firsts--first date, first time holding hands, first kiss--shouldn't be bad. Then why…?

Goro frowns down at the cup of dark coffee in his hands. He knows exactly why he feels uneasy looking back on everything.

It's mid-November. Tomorrow, they'll be sending Sae-san a calling card, and then the Phantom Thieves will be going on their last mission. They know it's their last--he made them agree to consider it as much from the start--but only he knows the true reason why.

And more importantly, the boy sitting next to him doesn't know that this is the last time they'll be able to enjoy their time together like this.

Akira glances at him out of the corner of his eye, then sets his cup down, turning to face him. "Something bothering you?"

Oops. Goro lifts his head, forcing a sheepish smile onto his face. "I'm just a bit nervous, that's all. Sorry, I didn't mean to worry you."

Akira nods, concerns apparently eased with that. "Makes sense. This  _ will _ be the first time you've stolen a heart." He pauses to think, then says, "How about something to take your mind off it?"

"What do you have in mind?" Knowing Akira, he'll probably have a very good, very helpful suggestion, though Goro will still be amazed if it actually does the trick. Just being here with him is maddening.

"How's a game of chess sound?" comes the reply--standard, just another piece of the normal scene they're in, as if that normalcy isn't the very thing troubling him. Well, it's not like Akira knows that.

Still, it would look strange if he declined such a common pastime of theirs--worse yet, it might draw Akira's suspicion. And who knows, maybe it'll help despite everything. "Chess it is, then."

And lo and behold, Goro actually gets surprisingly invested in the game. Akira does too, in fact; Goro can't recall ever seeing him play so intensely before. Perhaps it's a testament to how long they've been doing this that they each see through every trick the other tries to pull, a constant back-and-forth of who has the upper hand. As they reach the end of the game, with Goro's victory just beyond the horizon--

\--he realizes that Akira has his king surrounded.

"Check," Akira says, that damned cat grin on his face.

Goro sighs, raising his hands in defeat. "I concede. You've improved quite a bit since we started."

"Maybe," Akira muses. "Or maybe I've just gotten better at reading you."

It's getting late. After putting the chess set away, Akira walks Goro to the train station and sees him off.

_ Chess, coffee, and conversation,  _ Goro thinks.  _ Not a bad last date. _

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on twt [@lovelabyrinths](https://twitter.com/falsegrailwar)


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